The typical dyslipidemia of type 2 diabetic patients does not necessarily include elevated LDL cholesterol concentrations. However, there is evidence that these patients are characterized by a reduced LDL fractional catabolic rate and an increased mean residence time (MRT), which can increase cardiovascular risk. Aerobic exercise is associated with improvements in the dyslipidemic state of patients with type 2 diabetes but effects on LDL kinetics are unknown. Therefore, this study examined the impact of a 6-month exercise program on LDL apolipoprotein B kinetics of 17 patients with type 2 diabetes. After an initial visit with the exercise trainer who asked patients to train 20-40 minutes, 4 times/week in an aerobic exercise mode (60-85% of maximal oxygen uptake), type 2 diabetic patients were randomized into a supervised group (a weekly visit with the exercise trainer, n=8) or an unsupervised group (no visit with the exercise trainer, n=9). After the 6-month training program, body mass index, triglycerides, and maximal oxygen uptake significantly improved only in the supervised group. While LDL cholesterol levels did not change significantly in either groups, there was a nonsignificant 14% reduction in LDL MRT in the supervised group and a nonsignificant 34% increase in the unsupervised group, the between-group comparison being significant (p<0.05). Obviously, the small sample size was a limitation in the present study, but further studies in this area are clearly warranted.
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